


Morning Distraction

by lossit_bay



Series: Soulmates [3]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Humor, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, many smooches- i have lost count of who kissed who
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-10-20 03:09:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20668328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lossit_bay/pseuds/lossit_bay
Summary: It's the day of their debut.You would think everyone would be prepared, what with the years of training and weeks of rehearsals but none of that training accounted for being soulmates with all eight of your band mates.Without cameras and prying eyes to keep them in check, Stray Kids inevitably distracted each other from the task at hand. Kisses, murder plans, outfit disasters- it was a miracle they got to their own concert on time.(No sexy times- M-rated for Adult thoughts in conversation only)





	Morning Distraction

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! this is the epilogue for my previous installment but it can be read stand alone. It just ended up slightly longer than planned and I raised the rating in case there are children reading. I may cut some jokes to make a teen version later on.

*Day of Debut*

Like most millennials, the first thing Hyunjin did when he woke up was check his notifications. However, unlike most millennials, Hyunjin didn't pick up his phone. The sun was up and dimly shining through the curtains, giving Hyunjin just enough light to see by. He lifted his left hand and flexed his fingers to expose the delicate skin on the side of his ring finger normally hidden by his middle finger. A circle and a triangle.

The circle he expected. He wouldn't even have been surprised if there were more waiting for him. The triangle, however, was slightly more than he was ready to deal with first thing in the morning. Hyunjin pulled one arm out of the protection of his duvet and hissed at the cold, drawing it back into his chest. Ok, perhaps the circle was too ambitious too.

"Seungminnie?" Hyunjin called, making sure to sound extra pathetic. The other boy wasn't in his bed but he couldn't have gotten far. There was no answer. "Seuuuuungminnie." He couldn't be too loud because Jisung was no doubt asleep above him.

The door opened. "What?" Seungmin grumbled. He was wearing his glasses and his hair was stuck up in every direction, the same as it was every morning.

"I love you."

"Nice try. What do you want?" Seungmin walked over to the desk and turned off the AC. The machine clunked as it shut down and the room fell into silence save for Jisung sighing as he turned over. The bed frame shook.

"Lemme see," Hyunjin made grabby hands at Seungmin, carefully keeping the majority of his arms under the duvet.

"I've not got underwear on." Seungmin said. He was still in his pyjamas and clearly hadn't been up long. "I can just tell you. The circle is-"

"No!" Hyunjin cut him off. "I want to read them. I won't look at your dick."

"Read them on yourself," Seungmin grumbled but walked over to Hyunjin's bed anyway. Hyunjin pulled the waistband of Seungmin's pyjama trousers down ever so slightly on his left side and traced tiny circles onto his hip bone with his thumb.

"Hyunjin!" Seungmin always scolded him but never told him to stop. Their puppy was all bark and no bite. "Get on with it, my eggs are getting cold."

"That's what she said," Jisung slurred sleepily from above them and burst into a fit of giggles at the genius of his own joke. Seungmin's face darkened and he turned to march out of the room. Hyunjin knew how this went and leapt out of bed to catch Seungmin around the waist.

When he opened his mouth he intended to say something comforting to dispel Seungmin's anger but instead all he said was, "oh god, it's really cold".

"That's what she said!" Jisung repeated giddily. Seungmin tensed in Hyunjin's arms. That wouldn't do.

Having seven soulmates was by no means easy and there were inevitably fights and hurt feelings as they settled into a whole new dynamic as a team. Hyunjin himself was often part of the fights due to his hotheaded nature but he was learning to express his emotions more calmly. Unexpectedly, Seungmin was also a common participant in the fights. Not physically- Hyunjin didn't think Seungmin had even thrown a punch in his life- but the emotional minefield of a eight-person bond was not Seungmin's forte. Come to think of it, that was often where Hyunjin fighting came in.

"Jisung, my darling?" Hyunjin said. He only used formal pet names as a threat and Jisung knew it.

"It was funny!"

"Could you perhaps turn that beautiful brain of yours off and on again?" Hyunjin continued. "It seems to be stuck on the crude sex joke setting."

"Now you've done it," Seungmin whispered as he hugged Hyunjin tightly. Hyunjin hugged him back, leeching his body warmth. The cold wasn't nearly as bad as he thought now that he was out of bed.

"Wha-?"

"You think my brain is beautiful?" Jisung grinned down at them from the top bunk. Ah. _That_.

"Go back to sleep." Hyunjin grumbled, not denying it. There was no point with Jisung, he'd talk you around in a circle until you'd accidently complimented him three more times.

"Don't go back to sleep," Chan said, coming into the room looking thoroughly sleep deprived. Hyunjin wanted to pin him to a bed until he passed out but he knew Felix had tried that two nights ago and Chan had cried and got more stressed but hadn't fallen asleep.

"Pick your lots," Chan held up five wooden sticks. "The cars are coming in half an hour and then we're straight into rehearsal."

"I'm not going _straight_ into anything," Jisung said as he jumped down from his bed. Seungmin and Hyunjin had already taken their sticks. 5 and 3, not the best but at least Hyunjin could try and nap after his makeup was done.

"Jisung, please. I have a lot to do." Poor Jisung wasn't getting good reactions for any of his jokes that morning.

"Sorry boss," Jisung took a stick at random and pecked Chan quickly on the lips. "We'll be on our best behaviour for you today. See?"

At this, Jisung tried valiantly to bring the sole of his foot up to Chan's eye level. Seungmin dashed forward to steady him before he could tumble to the ground.

Chan caught Jisung's heel and snorted at what was written there. "When did you do that, Sungie?"

"Last night," Jisung said proudly. That at least told Hyunjin what the triangle notification had been about. He should have guessed it would be Jisung. Curious, he lifted his own foot to see English letters printed across his sole. The first bit he knew but the ending stumped him.

"Chan..?" Hyunjin read. Three heads turned to him.

"Chandy," Seungmin helped him. "Like in Toy Story.

"Aw, that's cute."

Chan choked on air. "Not quite the word I would use. Could you please remove it, Jisung, when you go for your shower."

"Why?" Jisung asked petulantly. "You have half the word 'Andy' in your name. It's really clever."

"Please, Jisung."

Chan's desperation only made Jisung more determined. "Why? It's cute. You chose us and you love us and look after us."

"Someone save me. I can't do this," Chan whispered to the ceiling, avoiding their gazes.

"What is it?" Seungmin asked curiously.

"Are you guys nearly ready?" Felix asked, sticking his head around the door. "Clearly not," he answered himself.

"Felix!" Chan cried in relief. "Please tell me you understand." He grabbed Jisung's foot again to show his fellow English speaker. Jisung flailed but managed to stay upright.

"Toy story!" Felix said happily. “That’s so cool. Who thought of that?”

"No, not cool," Chan argued firmly. “Think about what that marks you as.” Hyunjin was so lost.

Felix frowned for a second before his lips split in a shit-eating grin. "_Your _toys.” He laughed loudly. “That's hilarious."

"No it's not!" Chan let go of Jisung's foot and the boy stumbled backwards into Seungmin. Hyunjin steadied them both and they all shared a look of confusion.

"You're _kids_," Chan hissed and shuddered as he thought again about whatever was freaking him out.

An ominous giggled echoed through the dorm.

"Ah, shit," Chan cursed. "Minho, don't-!"

Hyunjin slapped his hand over Chan's mouth.

"Channie-hyung, come play with your toy!" Minho called.

Jisung instantly recoiled, realising his mistake and Hyunjin had never felt such a strong need to cut off his own foot.

"Lee Minho, there are five children present!" Chan yelled, his face turning beet red.

"I don't get it," Seungmin whispered to Hyunjin.

"You don't want to," Hyunjin replied as Jisung started pouring makeup remover on his foot, scrubbing furiously.

"Any more surprises this morning?" Chan asked reluctantly when Felix was done mocking him for blushing.

"I've not checked the circle yet this morning," Hyunjin told him. "Minnie has though."

"Well, Minnie?" Chan asked. "What's the circle about?"

"But I don't get why-" Seungmin started.

"We're not telling you," Hyunjin said quickly. Seungmin was too innocent for Hyunjin to even consider explaining the connotations of ‘Chan’s toy’ to him. "Tell us what the circle says before someone starts stripping."

"That's not fair," Seungmin grumbled. "I'm the same age as you guys."

"You don't want to know, Minnie." Jisung said, shuddering. "My foot is clean but my mind has been stained forever."

While they argued Chan had pulled down his boxers over his left hip and twisted his head to read the words inked there. "It's Innie. He wants group hugs tonight, bless him."

"No way he said that," Jisung said, pulling his own boxers to one side. He laughed as he read the phrasing. "_'If any of you want to cry tonight please meet in the living room. Do not crawl into my bed. I don't care that you're my soulmate, I want sleep_.' I don't think he wants cuddles Chan-hyung."

"He's getting cuddles," Chan growled, snapping his boxers back into place. "Hugs are good for you and that's practically a cry for help from Innie. He never asks for anything."

“I’m asking for some fucking peace and quiet!” Jeongin yelled from the bathroom.

Seungmin laughed gleefully. That was practically a challenge to see how much he could bug the younger boy.

"No, Seungmin-hyung!" Jeongin's words were garbled by the interference of a toothbrush but the intent was clear. "Fuck off!"

“He used to be so sweet,” Chan lamented. “Now he won’t even hug me.”

Felix patted him on the shoulder. "It's just teenage rebellion. It won't last,” he said as if the rest of them had come out of the other side and matured into model members of society.

Jeongin stuck his head around the door, determined to get his point heard. "Seriously. Everyone comes to cuddle me when they're stressed. I need some space."

It was difficult to take him seriously with toothpaste smeared around his lips but Hyunjin bowed with the others, forcing Seungmin to join them. They _had_ been hanging off their youngest more than usual the last few days.

"We're sorry, Innie," Felix apologised for all of them despite not being a main culprit. "We'll get better at spreading the burden."

Hyunjin was already planning his next cuddle target because he definitely wanted to fall asleep with someone else after the high of their debut drop wore off. Chan was always great at cuddles but Chan didn't often sit still long enough for Hyunjin to doze off. Jisung was inhumanly bony unless you got him to lie in exactly the right position and Changbin always got up to pee. Minho would shoot him point blank if he went near his carefully constructed cave and Seungmin wouldn't let him wriggle. Felix was probably his best bet- physically affectionate like him and a deep sleeper. However, Felix cuddled so tightly Hyunjin overheated in minutes. Maybe he’d just go back to Jeongin after all. The maknae would be tired out after the showcase and easy to bully into cuddles. Hyunjin would just have to time it well so he wasn’t beaten by his competition.

"Why is nobody dressed?" Changbin asked sleepily, waddling in and latching onto Felix, the only one who had gotten changed before being distracted by the mess of their soulmate marks.

"Ah, shit. The cars!" Chan ushered Hyunjin and the other boys towards their wardrobe and held out his fist to Changbin. "Quick, pick a stick."

There were only two left and Changbin chose the one closest to him. "Fuck! Eight, again!" He looked at his chosen stick in disgust.

Chan dashed out of the room before Changbin could find out his alternate fate, nearly skidding into the wall in his rush to go get dressed.

"Safety first, Chris!" Felix called mockingly in English after him.

Hyunjin raked through his clothes and the clothes in the wardrobe that weren’t his. He’d started hoarding discarded clothes since he moved into the dorms and he found he preferred second-hand clothes to buying new items for himself. Not only were they softer but he also knew they fitted well (since he normally borrowed them while they still belonged to someone else) and he didn’t have to trawl through webpages to decide what he liked when the latest fashions were right there in their wardrobe.

“Does this look ok?” Hyunjin asked, turning to show the room his outfit. He was wearing some of his nicer training clothes but they were still training clothes. It wasn’t exactly a fashion statement.

“It’s fine, Hyunjinnie.” Changbin assured him from Felix’s arms. “You’ll only be wearing it at soundcheck- it doesn’t have to look good.”

Hyunjin panicked. “So it doesn’t look good? I have to change!” He threw off his hoodie and dived back into his wardrobe.

Felix let go of Changbin to mild protests and pulled Hyunjin gently from the growing mound of clothes. “Jinnie, it looked good.” Felix pulled his chosen hoodie back over his head and pulled the strings to tie the hood in a tight bow around Hyunjin’s head . “What Hyung meant was- nobody is going to judge you at a soundcheck. I promise, ok?”

Hyunjin nodded hesitantly, still unconvinced. “But there’ll be people watching. Fans and reporters and-”

“Is that what you’re worried about?” Changbin asked. Hyunjin bit his lip.

“They’re not going to look at your clothes, Jinnie.” Jisung scoffed from the floor where he was trying to put on his jeans without ripping his foot through all the tears. “They’re going to be looking at your dancing and your awesome facial expressions.” Jisung’s tongue was sticking out as he concentrated and he thankfully missed the look of complete adoration that flashed across Hyunjin’s face at his compliment. A compliment from Jisung really meant something to Hyunjin because he knew Jisung was never just saying it to make him feel better.

“And my rap?” Hyunjin asked because despite having made up (and made out) they still couldn’t go ten seconds without pushing each other's buttons.

“You can’t _see_ rap,” Jisung muttered as he forced his heel out the tight ankle hole of his jeans. With both legs in, he leans back and cheered despite being shirtless and wearing the jeans still unbuttoned halfway down his legs. “But sure,” Jisung turned to Hyunjin, still smiling. “They’ll be distracted by how terrible your rap is too.”

Hyunjin was at his throat instantly. And quite literally too, his teeth grazing the delicate skin of Jisung’s neck. Jisung squealed in delight as Hyunjin pinned him to the floor. They didn’t get very far though as Changbin separated them with a foot to the face. “_After_ the showcase, you animals. And no visible marks, we’ve been over this.”

Hyunjin flipped off of Jisung and grinned up at Changbin. The other two were gone, having made a quiet escape at some point. Wise. “He started it.”

“I don’t know how Seungmin hasn’t killed you both yet,” Changbin remarked as he pulled Hyunjin off the floor.

“Oh, he’s definitely thought about it,” Jisung said casually as he searched the floor for a t-shirt. “It’s a subsection in his training diary. ‘Perfected Han’s D9 rap today at full speed. Need to work on adding emotion. Termination of subject would delay debut date but may increase publicity.’”

“You read Seungmin’s diary?” Changbin asked, horrified.

“No, he read it aloud to me the other day when I was being too loud trying to find my phone charger. I told him I was also the entertainer of the group and if he killed me it would make Felix really sad. Seungmin said Innie could take over as the clown but I don’t think he has a solution to Felix being sad so I’m safe for now.”

Changbin blinked, overwhelmed but the amount of information in that statement. "I would be sad too if Seungmin murdered you," he said hesitantly.

Jisung's head popped out of an oversized black t-shirt. It might even have been his. "Aw, Binnie-hyung... You'd miss me? That's embarrassing."

"Jisung, we're soulmates."

"Still…"

Jisung let the awkward silence marinade for a second before he launched into his next disaster. "Hyunjin wouldn't miss me, would you, Jinnie?" He jumped up, slung an arm around the taller boy with difficulty, and walked them towards the kitchen.

"I would cry exactly three tears at your funeral and then take your Beats headphones while everyone was still busy mourning." Hyunjin informed Jisung, loud enough for Changbin to hear as he followed them.

Jisung nodded, satisfied with his answer.

"It's this about my murder plan?" Seungmin asked from the table, mouth full of cereal. "I decided post-debut would be best as it wouldn't delay the paychecks and fame would grant me a higher level of immunity."

Changbin passed them to go and get dressed and sent them a very concerned look. Maybe he’d thought that ‘Seungmin’s Murder Plan’ was a bit that Jisung had just made up on the spot. In actual fact, it was what passed as entertainment in their bedroom and had been a running joke for weeks.

"Have you solved the problem of Lixie being sad?" Jisung asked, unconcerned at the continuing promise of his death. He glared at the fruit bowl before deciding that a banana was better than no breakfast and taking the brownest one.

"I have not."

"Why would I be sad?" Felix asked, joining them and dispersing the cups of coffee he had just made with his tongue sticking out the corner of his mouth.

"When I murder Jisung." Seungmin said.

"Oh yeah, I'd be really sad," Felix said with deadly seriousness. "He's my twin and my soulmate." They’d introduced Felix to the bit last week for 00-line solidarity and he’d proved to be an excellent actor. Hyunjin thought that given time to gain popularity and Korean fluency he could definitely land some great role in Korean television. Hyunjin would watch the shit out of that. He’d save every episode, have them playing on a screen in the background of every room in his house. Well, maybe not every room. Probably not the bathroom.

"What about if I murdered Hyunjinnie?" Seungmin suggested. He dragged his spoon across Hyunjin's throat and Hyunjin dutifully went cross-eyed and stuck out his tongue. Chan entered the kitchen and frowned at them in utter bafflement. Hyunjin was glad they were finally getting an audience.

"I'd still be really sad," Felix said after a pause, nodding like he'd really considered the possibility and evaluated his feelings on the matter. "Most likely because he is _also_ my soulmate. I have quite a few of them, I'm afraid, and I'm rather attached to them."

"On a physical plane or a metaphysical plane?” Seungmin asked.

"I would say both," Felix said, rubbing his chin. "It's like our very atoms are connected, you know?" Chan’s jaw actually dropped and Hyunjin had to try very hard not to break character. They hadn’t taught Felix the word ‘metaphysical’ for nothing.

"Are you four doing the 'what if I murdered Jisung' bit again?" Jeongin asked boredly as he came to claim a mug of coffee.

"Innie!" Jisung whined. "You ruined it."

"Yeah, we had Channie-hyung good," Hyunjin added.

"You did not," Chan protested. "I had every faith Seungminnie wouldn't murder Jisungie."

"Come on," Seungmin smiled wickedly. "At least a tiny part of you considered it. Weirder things have happened with us."

"I wouldn't exactly count murder as 'weird,'" Jeongin muttered into his mug as he wandered off again, this time with Felix clinging to his arm.

"You wouldn't succeed, Minnie," Chan said, deciding it was his turn to have fun. "Sure, you've got the bloodthirst and the planning skills but you can't buy poison off the internet without your mum's permission. What use is killing Jisung if you don't get away with it to bathe in success without him?"

"Plot twist_! Channie-hyung_ is going to murder Jisung," Hyunjin gasped in awe. Maybe they should get the whole band in on this murdering bit.

"At least I'll get to die doing what I loved- eating." Jisung said with a dramatic sweep of his arms.

"I thought you loved making music?" Seungmin asked.

"I am a complex person, Seungminnie," Jisung explained with an eye roll. "I can love multiple things." He pressed his lips to Seungmin's cheek only to blow raspberry and ran off to finish getting ready.

"How would you murder Jisung, Minho-hyung?" Hyunjin called to Minho, who had been trying to peacefully wait for the cars on the couch.

"If I told you I'd have to kill you too and I really can't be bothered with that much cardio," Minho said, not looking up from his phone.

"Nobody is murdering Jisung" Changbin said tiredly. He shuffled into the room wearing only a pair of boxers and a single sock. "He's already recorded his parts for two albums and I am NOT covering for him."

"Bin, what are you doing?” Chan asked him exaspiratedly. “We’re on a tight schedule here.”

“I’m _looking_ for my _sock_,” Changbin grumbled as he wandered past them to the bathroom.

“Why can’t he wear other socks?” Chan asked rhetorically.

“Why can’t you put your shorts on the right way around?” Minho shot back and under closer inspection Hyunjin realised that Minho was correct- Chan was wearing his shorts back to front. Chan looked down, put his hands in his pockets and frowned as his hands were redirected to his butt.

Next to Hyunjin, Seungmin sighed. He beckoned their leader over, pulled down his shorts and helped him put them on correctly. "Go sit with Minho-hyung until the cars arrive,” he ordered and Chan dutifully wandered to the couch. Minho tucked Chan under his arm, showing the older boy the video he was watching of pandas rolling about in the snow. Jeongin soon joined them, leaning closer to see but pointedly not accepting the arm Minho tried to sneak around his waist.

Soon enough everyone but Changbin was ready and Chan had fallen into a doze against Minho's shoulder.

"Binnie-hyung!! The cars are here, just accept that you're ugly!" Jisung yelled down the corridor.

"You're beautiful no matter what, Binnie-hyung!" Felix countered him. "10/10 would smash."

Minho cuffed him over the head.

"10/10 will smash when I am of legal age and all parties are consenting!" Felix amended, still at full volume.

Changbin's face was lit by a smile as he skidded into the room, finally ready. "I appreciate the enthusiasm, Lixie," he said, dropping a kiss on the freckled boy's forehead.

"Wahsbnin?" Chan mumbled, sitting up.

"The cars are here," Jeongin informed him. "You look dead."

"I feel great, don't know what you're on about," Chan scoffed, stretching his arms above his head. "Right, nobody be gay."

Seungmin pointedly looked around the group when not a single person had a reasonable level of personal space.

"Bit late for that, Hyung," Minho said.

"Don't be outside gay," Chan tried.

"Don't act like you're in a polyamorous soulmate bond with your entire group when thousands of people are watching?" Jeongin suggested.

"That. Yeah." Chan made grabby hands for Hyunjin to pull him out of the tangle of bodies on the couch. "Also, before we go I'm really proud of all of you and I love you so much."

"Gross. Don't be outside gay, Channie-hyung," Hyunjin said, handing the older boy his backpack and kissing his sleep-swollen lips. Chan opened his mouth easily and after a few seconds of lazy kisses Hyunjin bit down lightly on his tongue, startling Chan into full consciousness.

"Hey! I'm singing today, don't do that!" Chan scolded him.

"Couldn't help it," Hyunjin grinned coyly.

"Professional brains on," Seungmin stepped between them, pulling Hyunjin towards the door. "Stray Kids not Gay Kids."

Chan grinned. "Stray Kids!" He crowed, so proud of what they had overcome to get to this point, to finally be at the day he had always dreamed of. Debut.

Chan locked the front door as the last person out of the dorm and listened to the whoops of excitement echoing in the stairwell.

"Stray Kids!!!" Jisung screamed and the cry was taken up by the rest.

"Stray Kids!!" Everything Chan wanted was right in front of him.


End file.
